Knitted fabric and process of making same



Nov. 2, 1948. A. J. 'COBERT 2,452,836

KNITTED FABRIC AND PROQESS OF MAKING SAME m Filed March 28, 1946 I 0 "-5 INVENTOR. ARTHUR J. GOBERT BY wm/fm Patented Nov. 2, 1948 KNITTED FABRIC AND PROCESS OF MAKING SAME Arthur J. Cobert, Greensboro, N. 0., assignor to Burlington Mills Corporation,

County, Del.

New Castle Application March 28, 1946, Serial No. 657,756

2 Claims.

My invention relates to full-fashioned hosiery,

and more particularly to a stocking blank and method of making the same whereby the blank can be completely knit on a single machine, and so as to produce a novel and well-fitting heelforming portion.

The present invention is an improvement upon the stocking structure disclosed in my prior Patent No. 2,330,683, dated September 28, 1943.

It has heretofore been proposed to form a complete stocking blank, including the leg and foot sections, by widening the blank progressively at the heel area, by outward transfer of stitches, either at the marginal wales, or by transferring a large group of wales from some designated point inside the blank, and then reducing the width of the blank either by progressively narrowing the fabric by use of the fashioning frame, or by narrowing the fabric on one row of cast-off loops, these cast-off loops being locked in a subsequent operation known as looping.

I am aware of the fact that various methods of making heels have heretofore been proposed, but all of those within my knowledge have certain disadvantages, and do not produce a goodfitting heel pocket.

The invention will be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in

which:

Fig. 1' is a fragmentary plan view of a full fashioned stocking blank With a heel section made in accordance with one prior method, and Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a stocking made therefrom; I 1

Figs. 3 and 4 are similar views showing another prior mode of making a full-fashioned stocking blank and stocking; and

Figs. 5 and 6 are similar views showing a stocking blank and stocking made in accordance with my invention.

These comparative views are given in order that my invention may be better understood in the light of two of the general methods previously employed and constituting with my aforesaid prior patent what is believed to be the closest prior art applyin to my invention.

The usual practices employed today in the manufacture of a so-called single unit stocking blank on a full-fashioned hosiery machine is to knit the heel pocket by widening the fabric in the vicinity of the heel and fashioning the widened portion by one or the other of the two following general methods:

First-By causing the yarn carrier to progressively extend beyond its former limits a'--a' so as to increase the width of the fabric at the heel area to a maximum point bfb', and later to narrow the fabric in the accepted manner common to the art, as shown in Fig. 1. This widening and narrowing forms a triangular ear on each side of the blank which, when folded and sewn, causes a pocket to form in the heel area, as shown in Fig. 2. There are several variations of widening used in connection with this general method since extending the yarn carrier beyond its former limits, without locking the added loops, usually causes runs or ladders in these added loops. In one variation of this method of which I am aware, an extra thread is inserted only at the marginal loops, which tends to, but does not eliminate entirely, the laddering elfect. Another variation of widening the fabric by adding marginal loops is to outwardly transfer two or three selvage loops at the same time the yarn carrier is extended, thereby preventing the possibility of any runs or ladders in this area.

Regardless of what variation is used in con nection with the above method of making a heel pocket, however, in order to avoid runs or ladders, this method is recognized today as lacking sufficient fitting qualities since no attempt is made to divert the direction of knitting at the heel to conform with the angle of the foot. This type of stocking is like a straight tube stretched.

over the foot of the wearer, with only a slight bulge at the heel. Usually it wlil slip around until the seam is no longer straight, causing unsightliness as well as discomfort. It is only because of the elasticity of the knitted fabric that it can be put on at all. In the practice of this method, if the widening process is carried out sufilciently from the proper point at the end of the leg section to insure enough fabric across the point of major width of the heel section, the subsequent fashioning of the heel inwardly cannot be made quick and sharp enough to insure good fit under the sole. Consequently, a compromise is usually made in the amount of widening of this type of heel, resulting in a slight bulge, instead of a heel pocket. A disadvantage of this compromise procedure, however, is that the wales of the fabric at the instep are necessarily distorted when the stocking is worn, since it is stretched considerably in this area.

Second.-In the second general method that is in use today the stocking blank is widened in the vicinity of the heel by outward transfer of a relatively large number of wales. In this method the outward transfer usually starts at a point close to the edge of the heel reinforcement and includes all of the wales to the outer selvage. All of the intermediate wales are picked up and transferred outwardly one needle of each trans fer, while, at the same time, the yarn carrier is moved outwardly to increase the width of the fabric. This outward transfer continues until the fabric is sufliciently wide enough to form a heel pocket. In Fig. 3 is illustrated such a fabric. Points (L -a are the beginning of the outward transfer, and this continues until {7 -11 is reached. It will be noted that this method knits the wales in the heel area at an oblique angle to that of the instep portion, more nearly conforming to the correct angle needed for a heel pocket.

Continuing with the explanation of this method, a change in knitting takes place when points b b are reached. Although the outward transfer is continued with the innermost wales the yarn carrier is not permitted to extend any more beyond the limit reached at b -b In area the outermost wales are no longer permitted to be transferred, causing these wales to run in a vertical direction rather than in an oblique direction. When points d d are reached the outward transfer is discontinued altogether and a loo-ping course is inserted. This completes the heel pocket with the exception of knitting a ravel portion after the looping course to aid the looper hold to the fabric while this course is placed on the looping machine. This ravel portion is later clipped off and does not become a part of the finished stocking. After the ravel portion e is completed the fabric is narrowed down instantaneously on one course, and the sole portion of the blank is commenced.

My own patent, No. 2,330,683, covers the above described second method, as Well as a variation of the same method where no looping course is inserted at the base of the heel. However, in this patent prime consideration is given to a method of closing the gore line, which, for the purpose of the present invention, is of no importance.

This second method of making a stocking blank more nearly approaches the ideal, since an attempt has been made to divert the direction of knitting at the heel pocket, conforming more to the natural angle of the foot. However, even this method does not meet all requirements, as

will be pointed out.

In the second method described the widening of the fabric does not commence until the heel reinforcement corners at a -a are reached, and is considerably too late. The curvature of the heel and instep start hgher than this point, and

because of this fact the stocking is stretched considerably across the instep when worn. Fig. 4 is a view of this stocking when fod d and seamed and shows how the wales are distorted in the instep.

In Fig. 5 is illustrated my novel method of making a stocking blank. F g. 6 shows the same blank folded and seamed. It will be noted that the widening starts at points a -a similar to that of the method shown in Fig. 1. As previously explained, this is the proper point of .50 outwardly to the selva-ge are not transferred,

4 but only a part of this number. The object of this procedure will be evident from the showing in Fig. 6, in that it will be noted that the wales which have not been transferred, namely those in areas d have a tendency to turn inwardly when the blank is folded and seamed. The turning inwardly of these wales shapes the areas d to conform with the curvature of the heel, as can be noted in Fig. 6, while the transferred wales in areas e will run in a vertical line and parallel to the length of the stocking and leg. During the knitting of the heel section sufficient fabric is made to ensure a well fitting heel without causing any distortion at the instep. When points i -f are reached a looping course is inserted and additional plain knit courses are added, which are later cast off in the looping operation. Following the knitting of the additional plain knit courses the fabric is narrowed at the sole parts leading from the outer front corners of the front heel portions. From this point on the foot is finished in the usual manner. It will be noted that when this blank is folded and seamed it provides a stocking with a heel which gives an extremely fine fit to the wearer, as it is fashioned more nearly to conform with the shape of the human foot.

As a result of the foregoing, a blank is formed which consists of a leg section L, a foot or sole section S, and an intermediate section, said intermediate section including a central instep portion it, triangular upper or rear heel portions h defined by the lines 2' shown extending from the selvages at line a to the upper ends of the inner gore lines, and substantially oblong rectangular lower or front heel portions lying on oppo ite sides of the instep portion between points b and i each of said lower or front heel portions including t e outer and inner triangular zones d d and the gore e formed by the transferred wales, which gore extends forwardly and outwardly in the general direction of knitting from the inner rear corner of said front heel ort on to the outer front corner thereof. As 'stated,'while the gores e run in the blank at oblique angles in the general direction of knitting, when the blank is folded and seamed said gores will run vertically and parallel to the general direction of the leg port on. due to the fact that the heel areas d are turned in by virtue of the presence'of the-gore zones. These areas also become progresively narrower to conform to the natural curvature of the human heel, whereby a fine fitting heel is ensured.

What I claim is:

1. The method of knitting a flat knit stwking comprising leg, foot and intermediate sections, said intermediate section including a central instep portion and h el portions located at o posite sides thereof, wh ch consists in forming the leg section.=thence extending the fabric forward from the initial points of curvature of the heel and instep portions and progressively outward to form the upper instep portion and rear heel portions of triangular formation located at oppos te sides thereof and of gradualy increasing width up to points determ ning the greatest width of the heel section, thence extending the fabric forward while maintaining such width to form an intermediate part of the instep portion and rectangular front heel portions at opposite sides thereof and to define in each front heel portion an outer triangular area and an inner triangular'area, said areas having obliquely inclined margins, facing each other and extending between the inner rear corner and outer front-corner of the-front heel portions, and transferring a group of inner wales outward and forward in each front heel portion on oblique lines in the general direction of knitting to form gores arranged between the oblique margins of said areas in said front heel portions and located wholly within and extending from the inner rear to the outer front corners of the front heel portions, whereby said front heel portions will be so disposed as to adapt the gores to extend substantially vertically and the rear heel areas to inherently curve to conform to the natural curvature of the human heel when the blank is folded and seamed, and then progresslng the fabric from the forward margins of the front heel portions to form the foot section.

6 heel portions, and gores formed wholly in said front heel portions by transferring a group of inner wales outward and forward on oblique lines in the general direction of knitting to define an outer and an inner triangular area in each of said front heel portions, said gores extending between the triangular areas from the inner rear corners to the outer front corners of the front heel portions, and said gores and areas being so disposed as to adapt the gores to extend vertically and the rear heel portions and outer triangular areas of the front heel portions to curve to conform to the natural curvature of *the human heel and instep when the blank is folded and seamed, and sharply narrowed sole parts leading from the outer front corners of the inner triangular areas of the front heel portions. ARTHUR J. COBERT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent: 1

UNITED STATES PATENTS 25 Number Name Date 1,743,347 Hilscher Jan. 14, 1930 2,330,683

corresponding to the maximum width of the rear Cobert Sept. 28, 1943 

